Goddess's Lament
by Disevidence
Summary: Quinn was content being the star pupil and novice sister under Abbess Sylvester until she discovers the truth about the world and the small town of Lima. Swords and Sorcery AU, Quinn Centric. Possible Brittana, Faberry-Friendship at this stage . M Rating for future Violence.
1. The Incident

**Disclaimer and Notice - I don't own Glee. I also have gathered ideas from various fantasy tropes, Dungeons and Dragons, etc etc. **

**Sword and Sorcery Faberittana. Most likely Brittana, only Faberry-Friendship at this stage. It's more adventure, magic, battles and some darker content matter. Minor Character death in later chapters. Don't say I didn't warn you :).  
**

**Completely Unbetaed - All mistakes (and I'm sorry for them) are my own.**

The Incident

Quinn Fabray had never questioned her lot in life. Born to the well respected Mayor and wife of the small town of Lima, in the small Kingdom of Ohio, she knew little outside the peaceful town, and it's way of life. She spent half her days learning sewing, cooking and other trades she was expected to use in her adult life, and the the other half learning prayer, canticles and psalms under the strict eye of Abbess Sylvester and the order to the Goddess Euphrosyne. Twice a year, pilgrims from all over the continent would travel to Lima for the festivals of acrobatics and songs of cheer that the Sisters would perform, and Quinn, who was told that she had been looked upon favourably by the Goddess, would lead the Sisters in their dances.

Quinn, whose faith was devout and unwavering, had been answered for her prayers with the sacred powers of the gods and goddesses – holy powers. Quinn could, with devotion and intense prayer, conjure up spontaneous light, purify water, make a person feel at ease and joyful, and most critically of all, heal small injuries and wounds with her power. It marked her as blessed. So in her 16 winters in the world, Quinn had never questioned the way of things.

It was a light spring, and Abbess Sylvester had just charged Quinn with one of the most critical aspects of her life thus far – organising the spring festival to the goddess. It would be a test of her skill and leadership, and Quinn was determined not to fail. Her sister had been charged with this same responsibility years before, and had pulled off a spectacular festival – her father had been very proud. So for the young girl, failure was simply not an option. Her standing, her father's pride, her town's reputation, stood on her shoulders.

…...

The bells tolled at the convent, signifying the end of morning study and the young girls quietly and efficiently departed the chapel, giving thanks to the Goddess and the Abbess as they left. Stepping out into the light breeze that ruffled her habit and carried the sweet smells of the meadow down by the water mill, she grabbed the attention of her sometimes friend and fellow Sister, Santana.

"Santana, stay for a moment please."

Her fellow sister simply rolled her eyes and huffed. Santana had never been one for patience.

"Make this quick Quinn, Brittany and I have places to be."

"You'll never be blessed by the Goddess if you do not show more devotion to your duties. You are supposed to attend to the Militia with me this afternoon. Not running off fighting wolves or running in rivers or Goddess only knows what you get up to in the woods with Brittany" she replied primly.

"Trust me, those boys would be better served letting me guard the town then me going around flinging boring prayers and verses at them. They're dumber then a box of rocks, the lot of them."

Quinn let out an internal sigh of frustration. The young boys of the town militia and guard weren't exactly the smartest, despite the fact the defense of town from monsters, animals and bandits was completely up to them. However, it was their job as Sisters to visit the guard and keep up morale and cheer amongst the Militia, or the "Titans" as the young boys referred to themselves. Santana often was lax in her duties, preferring to spend time with the Trapper's daughter then perform her chores. It was often a point of contention between the 2 young girls, and on more then one occasion Quinn had reported to the Abbess about Santana's lack of devotion – it didn't endear her to the firebrand novice in the slightest. On one occasion, she had encountered Santana in a tunic and boys pants, instead of her novice's habit, wrestling and sword fighting with Mike and Sam from the guard, whilst the young Trapper's daughter, Brittany, clapped and hollered outrageously.

Quinn had been utterly scandalised, and Santana was ordered to spend almost 2 entire weeks in solitary study and reflection by the Abbess. Santana had never forgiven her for that.

"If you ever want to graduate from the Order Santana, you **will** do your duties. Or would you like me to tell the Abbess that you spent all of yesterday chasing after Brittany and whatever wild animals she's befriended. In plain sight!"

Santana, eyes alight with anger, turned on her heel and stalked towards Quinn. Quinn took an unconscious step backwards. Santana had already spent hours in what she considered worthless prayer, and she was utterly fed up.

"That's the answer with you for everything, isn't it? Praise the Goddess, tattle-tale to the Abbess. Goddess forbid you think about doing anything else. Let's all be special Quinn **blessed** Fabray everyone. Marry one of the dumb idiots from the guard at 18, pop out a few kids and spend her life reciting prayers and sewing pants at home. Don't you ever dream about what else is out there. That there's more then this stupid town."

Quinn had heard something similar from Santana before, but never with such hostility. Clearly it hadn't been a good day. However, Quinn wasn't the young leader of the novice sisters for nothing.

"More then this stupid town? Santana, really? It's not **safe** out there. Why do you think we have to guard the town. The Goddess watches over us all here, and while you run around as a foolish girl who thinks she's stronger then the boys, I'm doing what's required to keep things running here. Why can't you just accept that?"

"Because I'm not you Quinn. I'm not little miss perfect. You see the way they treat women here, and the way they treat **foreigners** here. Guess what little-miss-I-have-powers? I'm **both**. You're only treated nice because your the Mayor's daughter Quinn. If you really knew what they thought of us in this town, you wouldn't be so quick to praise the goddess.**"**

"What are you talking about, Santana?" Quinn asked, exasperated. Santana had often alluded to how she was treated by some people in this town, but was always maddeningly vague and elusive.

As Quinn expected, Santana lost the fire in her eyes and dodged the question.

"Look," she huffed out, "just forget it. I'm not going around spreading cheer to the morons in the watch, ok? There's better things to do. If you're going to visit them, goddess knows why, make sure you are accompanied by Sam or Mike, ok? At least those 2 have some brains."

Her anger spent, Santana briskly stalked to the side gate of the abbey, where Quinn could see the blond hair of Brittany, who was balanced on the stump of the old apple tree, hopping from one foot to the other in a show of grace and balance. Abbess Sylvester had lamented one more then one occasion that Brittany couldn't dance with the Sisters in the festival. She was the Trapper's daughter however, and it would be frowned upon for a peasant's daughter to join the order. Quinn never questioned it.

Quinn sighed, and turned towards to path leading down to the town itself. It was to be a long afternoon.

…...

As Quinn travelled through the streets and past the shanties that made up the southern part of Lima, she began to question the wisdom of coming through here by herself. She knew her habit and her well known-position of the daughter's would keep her safe, but she didn't like the way some of the men, sitting outside grubby looking houses, or standing at street corners, looked at her. She had rarely travelled down this far, Santana usually covering this place in her round, and she was beginning to feel more and more at unease as the shadows lengthened. She quickened her pace as she made he way to the southern guard post, her last stop for the evening.

The guardsman with the trident symbol of the guardhouse loomed large in the evening shadows, illuminated by a recently lit lantern swinging freely underneath the sign, casting long shadows down the path. Quinn stopped abruptly, as she noticed all the young men gathered in a circle just outside the guardhouse door. As she approached, she noticed a girl, probably around her age, with a cloak and shawl wrapped around her protectively in the middle, looking down at the ground and trembling ever so slightly. The boys surrounding her were making a racket, hollering and jeering at her.

"Show us your skills, girly."

"C'mon, surely your great powers can defeat a couple of us lad's. After all, you're the apprentice of the great Hiram and LeRoy, or so you say!"

The boys laughed uproariously at that, elbowing and slapping each other in the back at each other's jokes.

"Your unnaturalness is disgusting, and so are your master's, you little hobbit" one burly boy exclaimed, before he dumped his mead all over her and turning to laugh victoriously to the circle of men.

Quinn edged closer. The young girl must have been Rachel Berry, the apprentice of the so called Magicians "Hiram and LeRoy", who had travelled from the east to live on the outskirts of town, bringing a young Rachel with them. They were shunned by the majority of the town, who feared their tricks and their "unnatural" ways, as Quinn had heard her father complain about from time to time. He had once remarked in her company that they should be run out of town, but as they kept to the poor part of town and were rarely seen in daylight, her father had never bothered to exile them. Quinn herself had never met Rachel before.

Rachel still hadn't moved from where she stood in the circle of the boys, who were now edging closer and closer, egged on in their bravado by each other. Quinn tensed, unsure of what she should do. Her father would not approve of helping the girl, who he had deemed strange, but Quinn could tell that the boys were worked up and apparently drunk, as she could clearly smell mead and the stench of drinking wafting from the group. The circle tightened closer.

She could see the cloaked girl about to open her mouth, and before Quinn could stop herself, she yelled out -

"Stop this."

The commotion stopped, as the both the guardsmen and Rachel noticed her for the first time. The burly boy, Karosfky, she remembered, staggered towards Quinn, a strange smile on his face.

"Well if it isn't Quinn Fabray, come to cheer us up" he smirked, as the guardsmen behind him laugh as if it were a huge joke. "We've been waiting for you Sister, we're all ready to have some fun."

Quinn didn't like the way he leered as he spat that out, his eyes traveling up and down her body. She resisted the urge to shiver as she took a step back.

"What's going on here?"

"Nothing at all Sister, just having a little entertainment. Would you like to join us?" Another big roar of laughs and cheers rose up from the crowd behind him.

Quinn began to panic. She didn't know these boys well. Is this why Santana had told her to take Mike or Sam? They were drunk, and seemed out of control. She didn't know what she could do about Rachel, but she had to try her best, this was her duty.

"I've come to offer prayers from the Goddess. How about you let her go, and I shall give you a song of cheer."

Karofsky looked back briefly at the mob of young men still surrounding Rachel, and then turned back to Quinn, with his smirk growing larger by the moment.

"Oh, I think you can give us more then that to cheer us up Sister. And don't worry about the freak, we'll take **good** care of her." Karofsky was almost upon her now, Quinn realized as she took another step back and stumbled slightly.

She looked up to see his meaty hand stretching out towards her, her panic spiked. 'Goddess, help me' she begged internally.

A moment later, a large feathered arrow landed right in-front of her, causing her to stumble and fall upon the ground and Karofsky, too, stumbled back, staying upright. Then a large growl came from the shadows surrounding her (when had it gotten so dark, Quinn thought) and a large, enormous cat with luminscent eyes leapt out and landed in front of her, snarling at Karofsky, who had finally stopped smirking, and looked quite afraid. Quinn would of laughed if she wasn't so afraid herself.

"Quinn" a voiced echoed out of the darkness, and she sighed in relief as Santana emerged, in a tunic and pants, holding a wooden sword, with Brittany by her side, who had an enormous bow with an arrow notched, her quiver around her left shoulder filled with green-fletched arrows.

Quinn had never been more happy to see Santana or Brittany in her life.

Quinn picked herself up off the dusty road as Santana ran over to her, with a furious expression on her face. The enormous cat hadn't stopped growling the entire time, looking at Karofsky as if it were it's next meal.

"What are you doing here by yourself, Quinn?" Santana hissed, eyes alight with anger and some other emotion Quinn had never seen before. Concern?

"What do you mean Santana?" Quinn questioned back, her anger rising now that the danger had pased, angry at Karofsky, at **Santana**, at this ridiculous situation she had been in. "I'm only here because you **ran off**".

"I said to take Mike or Sam! Do you ever listen to anything at all, you naïve little girl? What the hell were you thinking?" she thundered back, volume rising in slight hysteria.

"I..." Quinn began to reply, before the look in Santana's face quietened her. Santana turned to Karofsky, who had been inching further and further back since she had arrived.

"Karofsky. I warned you last time about pulling this sort of rubbish." Santana swung her wooden sword in a wide circle. "Like I said, right or left, your choice."

"Santana.." Brittany, who had caught up to the large cat and was now petting it gently, murmured to the sword wielding girl. "Look."

She was pointing at Rachel, who was now shivering in the cool breeze of evening, still soaked with mead in her clothes and cloak, behind the now quiet group of boys all watching either Santana or the giant cat.

Quinn watched as Santana lifted her sword imperiously, pointing at Rachel.

"Let her go, and I won't be forced to castrate you here and now."

All the boys looked to Karofsky, who was still slowly backing off. He gave Santana a dark glare before shrugging his shoulders and nodded, before making his way back to the guardhouse, casting Santana and Brittany dark, murderous glances every few seconds. The other men followed, leaving a shivering Rachel motionless on the path, looking forlorn and trembling in the yellow light of the lanterns.

Brittany, hooking her bow over herself, strode over to Rachel, accompanied by the giant cat, loosening her own cloak and throwing it around the shivering girl. The cat purred, nuzzling it's nose into Rachel, who smiled wanly and tenuously patted it's head.

"Quinn." Santana said quietly, drawing her attention away from the 2 girls and the cat down the path. "Let's get you out of here."

Quinn, suddenly very exhausted, just nodded and let Santana lead her north up the road, back to the main area of town and home.

…...

Quinn and Santana had walked back in silence, till they arrived at the Fabray Manor, where Santana left her with the instruction that they'd talk tomorrow. Quinn watched as Santana disappeared into the night, realizing that for a girl she thought she knew well, she actually knew very little about. Flashes of the entire incident swam before her weary eyes, things unknown and things unexpected leaping in-front of her, it seemed so surreal. Ignoring her mother, who trilled a "Hello Quinnie", Quinn made her way to her room, slipping out of her habit and into her nightclothes, and stumbling, fell onto her bed and was asleep almost instantly.

She awoke a few hours later, her stomach grumbling loudly. Bleary eyed, she stumbled towards the kitchen, hoping that she could find some food to sate her late night hunger. She stopped, when she heard her father and another man conversing near the hearth. Creeping quietly, she leant up towards the adjacent room, eavesdropping on the conversation.

"When will this happen Russell?"

"Soon, Paul, after the spring festival. You have my word."

"I've heard that before Russell, and I'm growing impatient. We don't support you as Mayor for nothing. I want this to happen by the end of spring, or our support for you will stop. Just remember who controls the guard and gates here, Russell. Think very carefully about your position.

"Paul, it will be done. You have my promise. Come, drink some more, and we'll visit the Scarlet Lady, let us relax and relieve some stress."

"To the future."

"To the future."

The sounds of mugs clinking signalled the end of the conversation, and then moments later the creaks of chairs told Quinn that both men were on the move. She quickly scampered across the hall to a passageway down to the kitchens, and hid in the darkness as she watched her father and an unknown man walk past her, down the hall. She didn't move till almost 2 minutes later, she heard the main door close, signalling the exit of both men.

Quinn was puzzled. She had always been led to believe her father was the most powerful man in the town, and she had always been deferred to as the daughter of the Mayor. What was going on? What would happen at the end of the spring festival, and who was that man that her father had met deep into the night. What was the Scarlet lady? Questions blossomed in the darkness, and Quinn, for the second time today, felt the world shift under her feet. No longer feeling hungry, she slipped back into her room where she fell into a shallow, restless sleep.


	2. Questions and Introductions

**A/N - I don't own glee or other concepts i've borrowed. Unbetad, all mistakes are my own.**

Questions and Introductions

Quinn awoke next morning still bone weary, her limbs feeling as though they were full of sand, her eyelids heavy and sore. She stumbled over to her wash basin and splashed icy cold water on her face, and as she stared at her reflection in the rippling water, she remembered the events of the evening before. So many strange happenings all in the one night. Is this what Santana had alluded to all these times – events going on that she was oblivious too? She shook her head, and splashed some more water on her face to awaken herself properly. Today was a wash day, so the servants would of of spent the morning heating water over the fire for a bath. She wanted to get this over with as quick as possible – she needed to see Santana. Kneeling beside her bed, she said a quick morning prayer to the Goddess, and began her wash day routine.

She had barely finished getting dressed in her best habit, before her mother knocked and opened her door.

"Quinnie – there's a visitor for you."

"Thank you mother, I will be outside shortly." Quinn replied. Her mother did that smile she always did, and left her to her own devices. Santana's words from the night before echoed back to her. Was her mother her future too? Nothing but sewing and cleaning, attending to her husband and being shut in all day? So many things, Quinn had accepted, that she realized perhaps, Goddess help her, she shouldn't have.

It was of no surprise to Quinn that the visitor waiting her in the entrance hall was Santana, also back in her novice's habit. Quinn grabbed her satchel with her prayer books and hymns, and grabbing Santana forcefully by the arm, led her immediately out of the manor and into the main street.

"Good morning to you too, Sunshine." Santana exclaimed coolly, her jet black hair shining in the morning sun.

"Santana.." Quinn trailed off. Where to start? She had so many questions.

Santana just studied Quinn, face full of expectation. When Quinn continued to stare downwards, mouth opening and closing with only silence emanating, she decided to give the blonde girl a break.

"Finally woken up, have you? C'mon, we can't stand here all day, we'll be late for Sylvester's morning service. I'll fill you in as you go."

As the two girls slowly made their way through the streets of northern Lima, Santana began to explain things hitherto oblivious to Quinn.

"First of all," Quinn asked, "what was that cat?"

Santana flashed a wicked grin.

"That's Lord Tubbington."

"_Lord Tubbington_?" Quinn dubiously questioned.

"Yeah" Santana smiled to herself. "Britt found her as a kitten in one of their traps for rabbits her father put out in the woods, nursed it back to health, and kept it as a pet. It's a panther of some sort, or so I believe. I slipped into the library while Sister Pillsbury was reorganizing her hymn scrolls."

"Ok..." Quinn seemed lost already.

"Don't worry, it won't harm anyone Brittany likes. It's pretty smart, and tremendously loyal. For a cat." Santana added.

Quinn was silent for a moment, then seemed to take up her courage and ask -

"What's up with Karofsky and those boys in the south patrol. Why did you say to take Sam or Mike. For Goddess's sake, what's going _on_ Santana?"

"Lots of stuff. First of all, there's only a few decent guardsmen amongst the militia that run this town, Quinn. Yes Quinn, _run_ this town. Your father is the Mayor, but if the militia weren't happy with him being in charge let's just say he wouldn't be there for very long. Secondly, the south boys are bad news. All this cheer stuff, the hymns we do to _keep up morale_, a lot of it is bullshit. The north boys don't mind it, but let's just say you're damn lucky you haven't had south or west militia rounds yet." Santana paused; "Well, before last night" she added thoughtfully.

"I don't understand." Quinn exclaimed, "They tell us that our job is to boost morale and cheer for the town, that the priestess blesses us, she's _blessed me_ with powers, to help our role. All those festivals, are they for show too?

"No, look Quinn, it's complex. The order is prestige for the town. Those festivals? Show off the young happy devout girls, more families want to move her, more men of fighting age move here, the town stays strong and secure. The Goddess is real, and she does bless us. But a lot of it is politics Quinn. It's a dangerous world out there, you were right about that, but it's also dangerous in here."

"How... how do you know all this anyway? I've never noticed anything" Quinn seemed nonplussed, as if Santana had just told her up was down and the sky was yellow.

"You know my father is the town's apothecary. He hears things. That and our skin colour, which apparently puts us beneath notice of _certain_ people, means we hear things. _Secret_ things. I also sneak in the convent's library whenever I can."

Quinn seemed perturbed, but continued on -

"Karofsky?"

"Bad news. His father's pretty influential in this town. Quite a thug. You remember Mackenzie?"

"Older then us, I think? She left the order last year though, the Abbess said she was to get married..."

Santana snorted in scepticism. Quinn looked at her questioningly.

"Her father fell out of favour with a few of the town's more _influential_ people, so they sent Mackenzie to the south guardsmen to _keep up morale_, by herself.

Quinn covered her mouth in horror.

"Yeah, now you're starting to understand." Santana wasn't joking anymore. She just looked grim.

"We're just playthings Quinn. Uses as bargaining chips for the old men in this town, or if we're not _marriage material_, probably shipped off to the Scarlet Lady or worse."

Quinn stopped walking, which caused Santana to raise her eyebrows questioningly.

"I heard that for the first time last night. The Scarlet Lady. What is it?"

Santana frowned with intensity.

"Where did you hear that?" she asked sharply.

"My father was talking to another man. They were discussing some deal that would be put in place after the spring festival. Then they said they would go to the Scarlet Lady to relax. I didn't know what it was."

"It's a brothel Quinn."

Quinn looked nauseated.

"Who was your father talking to?" Santana asked. She was staring intensely at Quinn.

"I'm not sure, his first name was Paul, but that's all I know. I didn't get a good look at him."

Santana look worried.

"Quinn, I want you to take care of yourself. Be careful. Whatever you do, don't do your evening chores, at least not solo. Mike and Sam are guys you can trust, as well as Brittany, but no-one else."

"I've never spoken more then 3 words to Brittany. I hardly know Mike and Sam. I can't just trust them Santana."

"You can trust me right, Quinn?"

Quinn just stared at Santana.

"You must hate me though. I told Abbess Sylvester about you running off with Brittany instead of doing chores. I told her about you mucking around with Mike and Sam. I've been acting like a silly girl while...my Goddess... while girls have been sent to Karofsky and while my father visits _brothels_. Last night, if you and Brittany hadn't shown up.. I could of..."

Quinn was becoming more and more hysterical.

"Quinn,** Quinn**, listen to me, calm down. We have to get to the convent. It's getting late. Whatever you do, just be careful. Concentrate on your prayers Quinn. You _do_ have talent, and the Goddess has blessed you with powers. You can use them to defend yourself."

"How? I can purify water, make some small lights, maybe heal a small injury. How's that going to help me?"

"There are ways. I've seen the scrolls in the library. If I can get them to you, I will. Please tell me you'll be careful."

"I will... and you be careful too, Santana."

The dark haired girl just smirked arrogantly to herself. "Don't worry about me, I can look after myself."

Of all the surprises and revelations Quinn had discovered this morning, at least this one gave her some comfort.

* * *

As they sat in rows of pews at the chapel, listening to Abbess Sylvester go on about service to the Goddess, and being good novices of the order, Quinn remembered that she had forgotten to ask Santana about Rachel.

She fidgeted for the rest of the service.

* * *

As soon as the service was over, it was prayer and study time. Quinn exited with her fellow novices, trying to spot Santana in the congregation, when she was suddenly grabbed and pulled into an alcove.

"Shhh Quinn, it's just me."

Santana. Quinn, heart beating furiously, straightened her habit and glared at the other girl.

"Don't scare me like that."

"Sorry."

She didn't look sorry in the slightest however, as she was already peering around seeing if anyone had lingered after the service.

Quinn opened her mouth to admonish Santana when the girl grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward.

"C'mon, Pillsbury always takes ages to fix up the chapel after a service, she won't be in the library.

"How do you know all this stuff?"

Santana just smirked and waggled her eyebrows in reply.

Quinn giggled softly.

"Santana Lopez, what would the Goddess say?"

"I'd say she'd be happy with me putting a smile on your face for the first time in a long while, I think."

Quinn immediately stopped smiling, as Santana glanced back up at her.

"Sorry."

At least she looked sorry this time.

* * *

As they crept around in the immaculately kept stacks of the Library, Santana searching through various piles of books, tomes and scrolls for whatever it was she was searching for, Quinn remembered her earlier thoughts.

"What about Rachel?"

Santana looked at her quizzically before continuing her search through the shelves.

"What about Rachel?" Santana echoed.

"Well, who is she, what's she doing out there at that time of evening. What were the guardsmen saying about her?"

"Brittany knows her more then I do. I find her kind of annoying, I guess."

"You know her?"

"Yes Quinn, I know her" Santana answered with a touch of impatience, continuing to shift dusty books and scrolls aside in her search. "I don't just go home and study hymns and prayers after we're done for the day, like _some_ people I know."

"What were those guys saying about her though? About her being an apprentice to magicians? Is that true?"

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't call them magicians, more like sorcerers, or wizards. The real deal, Brittany tells me. Oh, and she isn't their apprentice, she's their daughter."

"WHAT?" Quinn yelped, before ducking and covering her mouth. Santana looked apoplectic.

"Would you keep it down" she hissed. "This is hard enough without you trying to attract the attention of half the Goddess-damned town."

"Sorry, sorry.. I just, she's their daughter? That's..how?" Quinn trailed off, Karofsky's mocking words "unnatural" from the previous night echoing in her head.

"I don't know _how_ Quinn, do I look like the sage of Mount McKinley to you?"

"Well if you added a bit of white to your face here and there, you know..."

Santana just rolled her eyes, and continued her sorting of the stack of scrolls.

"Great, after 16 years of having a stick up your ass, you finally develop a sense of humour while we're _doing a stealth run of the library_. You have _impeccable_ timing."

"Sorry" Quinn replied. "I just don't know how to take it, it's... wrong, isn't it?"

"I don't know either Quinn. All I know is she calls them both father. As for it being wrong, well that's what they tell us Quinn."

"It's what the Goddess tells us though, that it's.. unnatural" the last word, for some reason, sounding bulky in Quinn's mouth, like it didn't fit on her tongue.

Santana, having sorted through the pile of scrolls on the shelf, grabbed Quinn's hand and dragged over to the next shelf, recommencing her search through the books.

"Quinn, that's what _they_ say she says. As you can probably appreciate, not everything they tell us is true."

Santana mumbled something else very quietly, sounding like "I hope it's not true" but before Quinn could ask, Santana pulled a tome off the shelf and dusted off the cover.

"Here we go, this is it. Let's go."

The two girls quickly exited the library, scrambling out of sight just as Sister Pillsbury came walking down the stained glass corridor.

Quinn and Santana hurried their way along the streets of Lima, heading eastward. Quinn was rarely in part of this town, and she clutched to Santana's satchel as she ducked and weaved her way through narrow alleys on her way to the edge of town, coming upon a clearing where a small wooden hut stood with smoke billowing out from it's slanted chimney.

"This is Brittany's house."

Quinn liked it. It was run down and decrepit, like most houses along the east edge of Lima, but it seemed to have a warmth and charm to it, with a few skinned rabbits hanging out to dry out the front, basketful of colourful flowers potted around the front and sides of the house, and a colourful cloth of some kind hanging as an awning above the front door. The sun, just past it's zenith, caused everything to reflect brightly, exaggerating the colour of the house.

Santana ran up to the side of the house, knocked 3 times, paused, then knocked once more, then continued onward, dragging Quinn with her.

"What's going on, what are you doing."

"Shh, her dad's usually asleep this time of day. Brittany will be out shortly. C'mon."

Santana dragged Quinn into the woods, which caused Quinn some trepidation. She had been told that the woods weren't a place for a young girl to be, where wild animals and _worse_ roamed about. But Santana seemed confident, moving through the woods with an obvious destination, and after her intimidating display last night, where she'd scared off a group of _guardsmen_, Quinn was beginning to see her fellow novice in quite a different light. Could she be this confident one day, not afraid to go against the status quo, to challenge what she was told by authority figures? Quinn found herself admiring Santana more and more.

Eventually, they came across a glorious clearing, where yellow and purple flowers dotted the reasonably short grass, sun streaming down and making it seem like a different world. A large stone near a tall poplar dominated the middle of the clearing. Santana ran over to the tree, and from a hollowed out portion at the bottom of the trunk, pulled out various items. Tunic, pants, 2 long cloaks, a wooden sword, a large block of wood that seemed to double as a shield, and a small wooden instrument. Putting it to her lips, she blew a high pitched note twice, then began stripping right in front of Quinn.

Quinn blushing furiously, turned her head away, to the sounds of laughter coming from Santana.

"Okay, you can stop blushing now." Santana teased, still chuckling quietly to herself.

Quinn brought her eyes, seeing Santana dressed as she was the previous evening but also with a long green cloak fastened to her back. She had the sword and shield at the ready, and was crouching, searching the treeline for something. Quinn tensed up, it seemed like Santana was ready for an attack.

Moments later, an arrow came whistling out at tremendous speed, heading straight for Santana, who simply straightened up and swung the sword once, deflecting the arrow to her left, into the soft grass. She stood there beaming.

Quinn gaped in awe.

Brittany then bounded out from the treeline, beaming just as giddily as Santana was, and they both dropped their weapons and wrapped themselves up in a gigantic hug, Brittany picking Santana up and spinning her twice.

Quinn was dumbfounded, still staring at the two girls in complete shock. What in the Goddess's name... she thought she had gone mad... or that they had.

Brittany noticed her staring. Unwrapping herself from Santana, she made her way over to the dumbstruck girl, moving with feline grace and poise, Quinn couldn't help but notice.

"Hello, Quinn." Brittany greeted, in her trademark Monotone voice, which seemed to betray the brilliant smile she still had etched on her face.

"Hello Brittany." Quinn answered, still slightly nonplussed. "Is that how you two always greet each other, by attacking each other with lethal attacks?"

"Only on our good days."

Brittany, still smiling the effervescent smile, looked back towards the treeline and seemed to gesture at someone.

Quinn's confusion cleared a moment later as she saw the cloaked and hooded girl from last night, Rachel, step into the clearing and make her way over to the 3 girls. Santana groaned.

"San..." Brittany said warningly, but Santana just grinned back.

"Quinn, meet Rachel. Rachel, meet Quinn" Brittany introduced them, as the two girls looked warily at each other. Tentatively, Rachel extended a hand towards Quinn.

Quinn, with the words of Karofsky still echoing from the previous night bouncing around her head, studied her hand for a moment, before extending her own as equally as tentatively, shaking once, firmly, then dropping her hand quickly.

An awkward silence permeated the clearing, Rachel and Quinn staring at each other, while Brittany and Santana's gaze bounced between the two, unsure who they should watch more. This state of affairs persisted for a few more seconds until a giant blur went straight past Quinn's gaze, directly at Santana. Next thing she saw, was Santana and the giant cat from the night before, rolling around on the grass, Santana laughing in a way Quinn had _never_ heard the headstrong girl laugh before.

"Geroff me you big kitty, I'm not your chew toy" Santana panted. The cat, _Lord Tubbington, _Quinn reminded herself incredulously, just ignored Santana, licking a big swipe up her cheek. They rolled around a bit more before Lord Tubbington seemed to get distracted by a big butterfly, and bounded off to chase it all over the meadow.

Quinn thought for sure she had to be dreaming now. Only hours ago she had been talking with Santana about the grim realities of their life at Lima, and now here was this same girl, who brought attitude and wilfulness wherever she went, laughing freely and rolling around with a giant cat. It was utterly surreal.

* * *

Introductions completed, but a slight awkwardness still lingering, the 4 girls sat themselves under the poplar tree, and watched as Brittany pulled nuts, apples and a cooked rabbit out of the rucksack.

Rachel, who refused the rabbit but scooped up the nuts and apple rather quickly, began talking at top speed.

"Thank you Brittany, for once again providing a most nutritious and wonderful lunch, you truly are a delight. And I'm so pleased to make your acquaintance Quinn, Santana mentions you from time to time and it's wonderful I finally got to meet you, and I cannot thank you enough for your most timely intervention last night, along with Brittany and Santana here."

Before Quinn could even reply to such a rapid fire of words, Santana jumped in.

"Speaking of, midget, what did I tell you about going by the south entrance of Lima. I _warned_ you about those creeps, and yet you wander past their freely without a care in the world it seems. How many times do you have to get into your skull to avoid that area."

"I apologize Santana, I had to run an errand for my dear fathers, and it was getting very late. I tried to sneak past as I assumed they would be intoxicated within the guardhouse, but one of their number had seen fit to... err.. relieve himself along the side of the establishment, and spotted me as I tried to get by."

Quinn, who had squirmed so slightly on the mention of Rachel's fathers, watched the apparently mercurial Santana, who's good humour of a short while ago had since diminished.

"I can't be everywhere at once you know, Berry, you've got to look after yourself more."

"I am perfectly capable of looking after myself thank you, Santana. You know as well as I do I had the situation well in hand, if the situation required."

Santana leapt up, eyes blazing, apparently furious now.

"Sure, you could of gotten your way out of that little confrontation. Then what Berry? The whole town after you and your fathers in a lynch mob. Your dad's are easily capable of defeating a whole town, are they? Are _you_ prepared to have a whole town chasing your guts because you can't have a little more discretion? Think they're going to lie around and let a true sorcerer live in their midst? You _know_ what this town is like."

Her piece apparently said, Santana walked away, swinging her wooden sword viciously at taller blades of grass. Rachel rose to follow, but Brittany laid a hand on her shoulder, shook her head and rose silently to follow the angry girl.

Another awkward silence followed, until Quinn mustered the courage to open her mouth.

"So you're a Sorcerer?" Quinn asked, not quite making eye contact with the smaller girl.

"Yes, I am. I am quite proficient I believe, which stems from a long tradition of sorcery in my family, and extensive training from an early age." Rachel chirped breezily, until she noticed the look on Quinn's face. "You don't approve."

"No no it's not that.. it's just that I worship the Goddess, and we're _told_ that sorcery is wrong and evil, but... well I've never met a sorcerer till now, so I'm not sure what to think."

"Well I appreciate your honesty Quinn. I can assure you that I am not evil, and I most certainly don't think what I do is wrong. It's just another way of life, and it's a part of nature and and just as valid as your priestly magics."

Quinn looked surprised, until her gaze moved to Santana, still talking quietly to Brittany several metres away.

"She told you."

"I swear it was in the utmost confidence, and I haven't told a soul Quinn, not even my fathers." Rachel stated proudly.

Quinn studied the brunette for a few moments.

"Can you show me?" She blurted out.

Rachel looked surprised for a moment, then nodded.

"Certainly Quinn. Is there something you had in mind? I know plenty of of spells and magics, if I may say so myself."

"Just something small please, whatever you like" Quinn requested, a little uncomfortably. Would the Goddess smile upon this?

Rachel smiled, then started singing softly, a strikingly clear alto tone, undulating ever so slightly. Her palm outstretched, as she continued her singing, a small flame appeared in the palm of her hand. It circled her hand twice rapidly, flashed blue, and then disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Rachel stopped singing.

"Told you she was the real deal." Quinn looked up, startled, to see Santana, with Brittany standing close, watching the magic of Rachel.

"C'mon Quinn, let's leave these two to their stuff, I didn't steal that book for nothing. It's time to start your training."


	3. Plans

**A/N. I own nothing.**

Plans

Over the next few weeks, Quinn and the other girls used all free time they had in the woods, honing their skills. Santana would practice with her wooden sword, swinging against the resilient poplar, doing complex footwork manoeuvres, building her strength picking up Rachel (to Rachel's everlasting chagrin) and carrying her around the clearing. Rachel herself would fill the clearing with her wonderful singing, using it to conjure up illusions and phantasms, or to extend a shield of shimmering light in front of her. Brittany would practice her archery against a tree by the edge of the clearing, and then engage in games of martial arts with Santana, more often then not winning against her fellow novice. Quinn enjoyed watching them interact, the usually irascible girl was a different girl around Brittany, all soft edges and indulgent grins, and Quinn wondered if she would ever have a close friendship as the two girls. All the time, Brittany's giant cat, Lord Tubbington, would slink around hunting small animals, dozing in the warm sunlight, lazily flicking it's tail back and forth, or bound around Santana or Brittany, often tackling them to the ground and licking their face.

Quinn herself studied. The ancient book that Santana had stolen from the convent's library spoke of techniques and prayers to channel the Goddess' blessing into direct spells and magics. It was hard work, and Quinn often found herself constantly struggling to interpret the ancient text, and it's vague diagrams and symbols. She kept at it, however, determined to be able to defend herself should the need arise, and to keep up with the rest of the girls. Days after she had first opened the tome, she managed to successfully channel her first spell, causing a deluge of water to extend from her hand, that force of the water carving large divots out of the tree she had extended her palm towards. Emboldened by her success, she soon was able to conjure a light that temporarily blinded all who looked at it (Santana had _not_ been amused), and best of all, to provide temporary feelings of rejuvenation to someone; Brittany, tired after a long session of practising flips and tumbles, had whooped in delight upon Quinn's blessing, and laughing in joy, raced over to the treeline to climb from branch to branch (Until she fell out of a low hanging oak once the spell had finished).

Santana had also insisted that Quinn would have to learn how to defend herself physically, so every so often the two girls would spar with two long branches of wood, which had been trimmed and shaped into long staves.

All the time, thoughts lingered at the back of Quinn's mind about what this all meant. Would they have to fight? What was the ultimate purpose, no matter how satisfying, of their endeavours? She had stopped in the middle of one of their sparring sessions to ask Santana once – the other girl simply stating that it "help to be prepared", and they continued their practice.

Her convent life hadn't stopped for Quinn either. While taking great care to limit her trips or take several companions to her trips to the guardhouses for prayers and hymns, she was tied up with Abbess Sylvester, planning the Spring festival for the town. Quinn would often return home late in the evening, to her oblivious mother, exhausted and full of trepidation about what the future would bring.

* * *

Three weeks after Santana had led her to the clearing, and only a few short weeks before the Spring Festival, Quinn awoke late in the night, hearing voices echoing down the stone halls of her house. Moving silently out of bed, she used a small blessing to create a dim light in the palm of her hand, and crept towards the voices, who appeared to be arguing.

"Russell, we warned you last time about dragging your feet. We wanted the trade routes to the west free of taxation – you told us this would be a reality. Yet my men and my wares continue to be stopped at the border. I'm beginning to think you don't plan to fulfil your end of the agreement."

Quinn breathed in. It was the same man she had heard talking with her father weeks ago. The impatient, threatening tone sent a chill through her body, despite the warmth of the house.

"I can't do the impossible!" her father was panicked, he sounded afraid. Quinn had never heard this tone of voice from her usually, confident, arrogant father. "You know the King expects a certain tithe from us. We can't just stop taxing the trade routes."

"That is not my concern. Tax the poor more. Do whatever it takes. Do you think you'll last much longer if you don't deliver on what we were promised. We're fed up, and you're damn lucky we still let you be Mayor."

"Please, I will get you what you want. I just need a little more time!" her father was begging now, a desperate tone entering his voice.

"I'll require something. I no longer trust your word, Fabray."

"Quinn."

A glacial chill shot through Quinn, who panicked that her eavesdropping had been discovered. A moment later a different kind of panic rose, as she realised her father was still speaking.

"I'll give you Quinn earlier then promised. I'll announce it tomorrow to the council, and we can move it up to the day of the festival. The evening of!"

Quinn froze entirely, holding her breath in sheer terror. What did her father mean? What was to be done to her?

Nothing but the crackle of the fireplace could be heard for a few seconds. Quinn, still frozen in shock, waited with bated breath for the unidentified man's reply.

"Fine. For now, that will suffice. But I wouldn't dally much longer if I were you Russell. There are more scarier men then I that want this to happen. You would be wise not to anger them."

The shuffle of feet signified the two men moving, and Quinn, willing her feet to move just in time, scampered down the hall back to her quarters, all the while mind running overdrive with what she had heard.

For the remainder of that night, Quinn didn't get one wink of sleep.

* * *

The first rays of light streamed through her window when Quinn arose from her bed, her mind still racing over the previous night's conversation. Nausea sat in the pit of her stomach as realised how cheaply her father thought of her, as if she were property. Is this what had happened to her sister, Fran? Traded away as a business transaction, or worse? She shook her head and quickly got dressed, packing her belongings, as well as the ancient book, in her rucksack. Grabbing a piece of stale bread that had been left in the kitchens, she left her manor quietly, making her way eastward.

As she reached Brittany's shanty on the edge of town, she spotted the girl in the morning light, blond hair shining in the rays of the sun, Lord Tubbington at her feet, rolling his back on the early morning dew.

Brittany looked surprised, but pleased, at the early morning visit.

"Quinn, Hi!" she beamed. "You're just in time, I was telling Lord Tubbington about this big tree that had fallen down near the south edge of town. We're going to see if we can salvage some wood for a scratching post. Tubbs needs to keep his claws sharp and handsome looking in case any lady cat's.."

"Santana, I need to speak to Santana" Quinn interrupted.

Brittany looked a bit put out at the interruption, but nonetheless answered.

"Well if you wanted to see Santana, why didn't you go to her house? Though she won't be up for another hour at least, she always likes to sleep in." Brittany said. "And steal all the covers." she grumbled quietly.

"I don't know where she lives, Brittany. Or I would!" she shouted, exasperated. Quinn had long known Santana from the order, but it would have been frowned upon for the mayor's daughter to visit a family like Santana's. Quinn had therefore never asked, and Santana never offered.

Brittany immediately pouted at the girl's tone of voice. Quinn sighed.

"Sorry Brittany, I didn't mean to shout. I just really need to see Santana. Please!"

Brittany didn't reply, just stared at Quinn for a few seconds, noting the agitation on the novice's face. She stood, nudging Lord Tubbington by the foot, and grabbed her bow and quiver from where they were leaning against the hut.

"Quinn. Take Lord Tubbington, and go to the clearing."

Without a further word, she shot off quickly, leaping over the wooden fence that separated her hut from the dirt path, and disappeared down the hill.

Quinn sighed, looked down at the giant cat, who simply stared back up at her. Sighing again, she shouldered her rucksack, and set off to the woods, Lord Tubbington by her side.

* * *

Quinn sat beneath the tall poplar, watching as Lord Tubbington ran to and fro, chasing butterflies and snapping at insects as they zipped around the small area. She had spent time studying some prayers, but she found her heart wasn't in it. So she rested, waiting.

A commotion at the other end of the clearing caught her attention, and she spotted a flash of blonde. Thinking Brittany had returned, she stood up, but upon noticing the figure was dressed in the heavy leathers of the town's militia, she tensed, sending a small prayer to the Goddess. She noticed out of the corner of her eye Lord Tubbington also paying close attention to the figure.

The figure started approaching, moving slowly, and Quinn leapt to her feet, going over her recently learnt prayer spells, ready to use them at a moment's notice. Lord Tubbington, meanwhile, was now close to Quinn, sniffing the air and still watching the stranger intently.

It was clear the figure had blonde hair now, as he approached, but Quinn still couldn't recognise who it was, and she wasn't about to take any chances.

"Halt" she cried out.

The figure stopped, momentarily, before taking another cautious step forward.

"I said Stop!" Quinn yelled. She raised her palm towards the stranger.

The guardsman stopped, less then 30 metres away. Quinn, in a moment of clear thought, walked sideways from underneath the shade of the poplar tree, so that she would be in direct line of sight of the morning sun, effectively hiding her identity.

"Who are you?" she called.

The stranger's voice was strong and clear, and slightly familiar to Quinn.

"Who am _I?_ Who are _you_? What are you doing here?"

"I asked you first. Who are you? What is your business?" Quinn shot back, her nervousness growing by the moment. She spotted Lord Tubbington stalking in the grass to the stranger's left, effectively flanking him. She'd have to give that cat more credit.

The man however, began moving again, and Quinn panicked. Muttering her prayer to the goddess, she shot a bolt of water at the stranger, and it collided with him in the shoulder with great force, spinning him sideways and knocking him to the ground.

Quinn's outstretched arm was shaking wildly. Lord Tubbington edged closer still.

"**Who are you!**" Quinn practically screamed, on edge and trembling badly.

"I'm Sam. Sam Evans!" the stranger called. Relief immediately shot through Quinn, remembering Santana's advice about Sam "being one of the good ones".

Still trembling with adrenalin, she made her way over to where Sam was still half lying on the ground, clutching and rubbing at his shoulder. Lord Tubbington joined her and nuzzled into her hand, and Quinn was thankful for the soothing presence of Brittany's pet.

Sam frowned at her with recognition.

"Quinn? Quinn Fabray? What in the Goddess's name are you doing out here. And what on earth was that! It hurt!" he exclaimed, still clutching his shoulder and rolling it experimentally.

"I could ask you the same thing. And you thoroughly deserved it. I warned you to stop!" Quinn's fear and nervousness was giving way to anger. She was tired, hungry and now very upset. It had not been a good morning.

"This is part of my patrol Quinn. I certainly don't expect to run into people in the woods, let alone a sister of the convent! This isn't a safe place to be!" Sam exclaimed, his voice also rising with irritation. "And what is _that_?" he added, pointing at Lord Tubbington at her side.

Quinn resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It was a wonder the town stayed safe sometimes, with the idiocy of the town's guardsmen.

"It's a _cat_ Evans, what do you think it was?"

"That's not like any cat I've seen before. It's _massive_." Sam said, making his way to his feet. Quinn instinctively took a step backwards. Sam looked offended.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. I just had to check who was out here, it's part of my duties. Besides, aren't you supposed to be at the convent?" Sam asked.

Before Quinn could reply, Lord Tubbington swung his head towards the treeline and Quinn and Sam followed suit, watching as Brittany and Santana cleared the treeline at a pace, Brittany with bow and arrow at the ready, Santana carrying some long wooden pole in her hand.

Quinn, for the first time since overhearing her father's conversation, finally let herself relax.

Sam just looked more confused.

"Lopez? You're out here too?" Sam asked as the two running girls caught up to Sam and Quinn.

"Evans, what are you doing here?" Santana shot back, overpowering Brittany's cheerful "Hi Sammy!"

Sam seemed to splutter with indignation.

"Me? I'm the one who's _supposed_ to be out here! I'm doing my morning patrol through the woods, and I find myself attacked, yelled at and constantly asked what I'm doing here! And no-one has told me what two novices are doing out here in the woods, at this time of the morning!"

"Attacked? Who attacked you?" Santana enquired, eyes roving over the young man's dishevelled appearance and the dampness of his tunic.

"She did!" Sam replied, gesturing at Quinn. "I was just trying to find out who was here in this area, and next thing I know I'm knocked down and soaking wet. It came from her!"

Brittany, who had been murmuring quietly to Lord Tubbington, gasped in delight and wrapped Quinn in a fierce hug. Quinn, unused to physical affection, tried to awkwardly hug the young girl back, while Santana shot her an unreadable glance then turned back to Sam, smirking blooming on her face.

"Little guardsman Evans, beaten by a little girl from the convent."

Quinn and Sam both bristled.

Santana just cackled.

"Oh this is golden, wait till I tell the guys back at the post."

"Yeah, well wait till I tell Sylvester that two of her pupils missed morning prayers to run about the woods." Sam shot back, face burning in embarrassment. "And that the mayor's daughter can apparently wield magic."

Santana's smirk instantly evaporated, and she stepped close to him, knuckles clenched white over the staff in her hand, face grim.

"You. Will. Do. No. Such. Thing." Santana breathed, accentuating each word with a poke to his chest.

"Well can you please tell me what's going on?" Sam replied. "I'm getting a little tired of asking."

Santana's looked to where Quinn and Brittany stood, the young hunter still with an arm around Quinn's shoulders.

"None of your business, Evans." said Santana, still staring at Quinn, that unreadable expression back in her face.

Sam didn't look pleased.

"You can't expect me to just let you girls run aroun-"

"You will do exactly that, Evans" Santana interrupted. Turning her gaze back to him, she seemed to deflate and spoke lower "look, just... give us this one okay? I'll explain a few things later."

Sam studied her for a moment, before shrugging his shoulders in resignation.

"Fine Lopez, but you owe me one, got it? If Tanaka found out I knew you guys were out here, he'd have my ass."

"Yeah yeah, I get it." Santana said. "Don't tell Sylvester, either. I'll visit your house this evening, Brittany wants to see Stevie and Stacie again anyway. Bring Mike along too."

"Alright. Well..." with another awkward shrug, and a slight nod at the 3 girls, Sam began to trek back westward towards town. "Be careful" he yelled without turning, Quinn watching as he was swallowed up by the trees.

Santana turned her gaze back to Quinn, taking in the girl's exhausted demeanour and black rings under her eyes. She grabbed her arms, marching her over to the shaded area under the poplar.

"Sit." she said abruptly, gesturing at the grass. "I want to know why I was woken in the middle of the _night_."

* * *

The sun rose higher in the sky, sending streams of golden light through the branches, the morning dew giving way to midday warmth. The girls sat, eating berries and bread, drinking the goat's milk that Brittany had provided (did that girl always carry food, Quinn wondered) as Quinn explained the previous night's conversation.

Finishing her explanation, Quinn took a final swig of the canteen, watching Santana deep in thought.

"What's it all mean? What's going to happen to me?"

Santana just kept looking at the ground, frown etched on her face.

"I'm not sure Quinn, I don't know everything."

Quinn, used to Santana being able to answer all her questions, felt slightly uneasy. If Santana didn't know, it didn't sound like anything good.

Santana looked at her, a mixture of concern and pity etched in her face, something Quinn had never truly seen on Santana's face. It didn't bode well.

"Look," Santana murmured "I need to check a few things. In the meanwhile, you need to rest. You look utterly exhausted."

Quinn's noise of protest was cut off by a levelling look from Santana. She really was tired, the high and then low of the adrenalin rush and the previous night's lack of sleep were wearing her down.

"Britt will look after you."

At the other blonde's nod of assurance, Santana stood, brushing her habit down and grabbed her satchel. Her feet nudged the staff she lying next to her in the grass.

"Keep that Quinn. I had it made for you. You can thank me later."

Santana shot a smile at Brittany, who had been lying down gently patting her pet, then set off.

Quinn laid back in the soft grass, her head landing on her rucksack. Despite her trepidation about recent events, she was asleep within seconds.

* * *

Quinn awoke to the cracking of a small fire and the muted light of the fading day. Brittany was sitting on a log, cooking a small quail on the fire and whistling to herself quietly, while Lord Tubbington was at her feet dozing softly.

"Hey, sleepyhead." Brittany said, giving her one of her trademark grins, as Quinn arose, rubbing her eyes.

Quinn glanced around, but she couldn't see Santana at all. Brittany answered her quizzical looks.

"She's not back yet. Shortly though, I hope." Brittany frowned at the fire, slightly concerned about Santana's absence.

Quinn sat down next to her on the log. Brittany wordlessly passed a cooked quail to Quinn, who immediately bit in, her hunger outweighing her modesty.

"You really care for her, don't you?"

"She hasn't told you much about me, has she?" Brittany asked. Quinn shook her head.

"I met her when I was 9. My mother was very ill, and Santana's father would visit often with elixirs and concoctions. One day, he brought Santana along, and she was so cute and shy in her tiny frock. I liked her immediately. From then on, she would visit every day, helping me cook and clean for my mother."

Brittany was staring at fire, her mind lost in memories.

"She held my hand at the funeral, and told me she'd always look after me. We've been best friends ever since."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not." Quinn looked shocked. "I mean, I'm sad my mother died. I miss her everyday. But Santana came into my life, and I would never be sorry for that" the blonde girl explained, still gazing into the fire, a tremulous smile etched on her child-like face.

"And your father?"

"Well he taught me how to trap, how to shoot, how to hunt. But he wasn't the same after mother died. Most days he spends at the tavern."

Quinn didn't know what to say, so she just stared at the fire also, thinking about her parents, her empty mother, her controlling, strict father.

"What about Santana's family?" Quinn asked, after a few minutes lost her in own mind.

"She has two elder brothers, who are both guardsmen. That's how Santana knows them all. She always wanted to train in sword fighting and combat whenever her brothers did. It used to be so adorable when she was 10 years old, trying to lift these big heavy longswords. Her brothers used to laugh at her all the time."

"Is that why she carries that wooden sword around now?"

Brittany laughed. "Yeah, she loves that thing. She is always pestering her father and brothers to get a proper sword, but they tell her it's time to grow up and become a woman. I don't think her dad really has much time for her. He always speaks about the brothers whenever I'm there, but never mentions Santana. I think he put her in the convent school in the hope she'd stop trying to swing swords and fight the militia men, and to get her out of his hair."

"I never knew" Quinn said. "I always thought she was this bitch, full of attitude, never paying attention to the rules or study. I tried to ignore her most of the time I guess, though sometimes that's impossible with her" Quinn finished, rolling her eyes in memory of some of Santana's more memorable convent antics.

Brittany chuckled quietly. "Yeah, it's always been impossible to ignore her."

A heavy silence followed. Brittany was still gazing into the fire, one hand gently running down Lord Tubbington's back. Quinn had never seen quite a look on anyone's face, the way Brittany looked just now. It filled her with hope and left her feeling empty at the same time.

After a while, Quinn spoke.

"And Rachel? How do you know her?"

"We met her in the woods one day actually. She was singing and I thought it sounded wonderful. Even though Santana can sing better."

Quinn momentarily thrown by the fact that Santana could sing, pressed on.

"What's her story?" Quinn asked. Sometimes the short sorceress thoroughly annoyed her, and other times she felt this undeniable pull towards the girl.

"You'd have to ask her" Brittany replied. "Santana says she is physically unable to stop talking about herself, whatever that means. Perhaps you can find out."

"It's not... wrong, what her and her... parents do, is it?" Quinn asked, cautiously. The teachings from Abbess Sylvester were always in the back of her mind whenever Rachel was present.

Brittany gave her a pitying look.

"What is wrong Quinn? I'm sure a lot of this town would say it's wrong for Santana to learn how to wield a sword, or for myself to hunt in the woods. It would be wrong for the two of us to be friends."

Quinn looked down, secretly thrilled that Brittany called her "friend". Until these last few weeks, she had never had friends before.

"It's just the Goddess tells us that "those who would not worship any gods, and who call fire and objects from the void, are evil and cannot be forgiven for their crimes"" Quinn recited.

"I don't know what the Goddess tells you Quinn, when you can call water or life from her." Brittany looked at her, face solemn. "But I don't think Rachel is evil. Perhaps she just worships a different goddess then you?"

Quinn felt that was just as blasphemous, but kept silent, not wanting to cause any more awkwardness with the other girl.

* * *

The last light of the day was fading when Santana returned, carrying a large sack. She looked grim, and ignored the questioning looks Brittany and Quinn were throwing her.

"Here, get changed. Britt, get the gear out. Change of plans."

"What plans Santana?" Quinn asked, worried, as she looked down in horror at the travelling pants and tunic Santana had handed her. She'd never worn such clothes in her life.

Santana ignored her. She was pulling more items out of the sack, including canteens, thin bedrolls, sandals and cloaks. She tossed the canteens to Brittany, who scooped them up and disappeared into the twilight, Lord Tubbington following her.

Santana momentarily stopped what she was doing, and looked at Quinn, standing frozen, clothes still in hand.

"Get dressed" she hissed. Quinn, thrown into action, began changing clothes very uncomfortably, keenly aware of the presence of the other girl a few feet away.

Santana was ignoring her however, looking over the item's she had dumped from the sack, counting to herself and sighing.

Quinn had changed into the new clothes, which fit rather well, and she briefly wondered who had previously owned them. They felt strange on her body, as if she was showing too much skin.

Santana, apparently satisfied with her inventory, was now too also changing into similar clothes, and Quinn couldn't help but notice the back and shoulder muscles of the girl as she tore off her habit. Quinn had never before in the presence of another person in this state of undress, and she couldn't help but admire the girl as her muscles moved and rippled across her back as she changed clothes. She suddenly wished she had practiced more sparring at staves with Santana.

Santana, having dressed, slipped her novice's habit back on, and motioned for Quinn to do the same.

"What's going on? What did you find out, for Goddess's sake?" Quinn asked, growing impatient and more worried by the moment.

Santana, who began repacking her sack, looked at her, face stony.

"Congratulations."

"_What?_ Santana, you're not making any sense."

"You are to be married." Quinn felt a hot swoop in her stomach, and sat down in shock.

"To David Karofsky." Santana continued. "Congratulations" she added sarcastically.

"How.. why...How? _When_?" Quinn fired back, a sick feeling rising from her stomach.

"On the day of the festival. There's been strange happenings with the guardsman today too. Something's going on. A power play by the looks of things. Looks like your father trading you in didn't work. Or won't for much longer" she added, darkly. "They're out looking for you now. You're to be _kept safe_" Santana gestured with her hands "until the wedding."

"What are we going to do? What am _I_ going to do?"

"Look, Britt and I have been making plans for a while. We've just recently expanded them to include you... and, well I can't believe I'm saying this, maybe Rachel too. If she'll come."

"Come? What do you mean?"

"We're planning to get out of his town Quinn. There's nothing for us here."

Quinn was speechless. Simply _leave_? Where would they go? What would they do? She knew enough about the outside world that it would be dangerous for a group of girls to simply wander off.

"I c-can't just leave! Where do you expect to go?" Quinn asked, various scenarios running through her mind. "What about my family? What about yours?"

"Your family will be fine. They can't just make the mayor, or _former_ mayor, simply disappear, it would look bad, and the King would look into it. Too much fuss. He'll just be pushed aside quietly, probably by the Karofsky faction, once they get you. As for my family and Britt's.. well let's just say we said our goodbyes along time ago. They won't miss us."

"I don't know if I _can_ Santana!" Quinn whispered, rocking back and forth slightly. "Why me anyway, why am I so important?"

Santana looked at her, strangely, as if she had realized something. "You don't know anything about your family's history, do you?"

"My parents aren't exactly people I could sit down and talk with! All that was required of me was to play the perfect daughter and excel in my duties at the convent. I wasn't told why."

"I'll skip the history lesson for now, but you're not the first in your family to have been blessed by the Goddess. That's what they want, okay? Priestly magic is rare and you're like Rachel, Quinn – the real deal."

"I don't know, Santana!" Quinn repeated, still finding it hard to believe it was all happening.

"It's either this, Quinn, or you enjoy your honeymoon with Karofsky and probably half of the town guard" Santana retorted, harshly.

Quinn recoiled in sheer horror. She felt her world breaking down, and suddenly found hot tears in her eyes.

"Shit... look.. Shit Quinn, I'm sorry. Just.. here." Santana wrapped the girl in her cloak, and sat down next to her, holding her as Quinn began to sob into the the other girl's tunic.

"We're going to get out of here, okay" Santana continued softly "we're going to get outta here, kick ass, and find a place for us. Somewhere where we'll be safe. We'll protect you, alright?"

Santana continued holding her, and Quinn drew comfort from the other girl's embrace. Eventually, she leant up, rubbing her eyes and throwing Santana a wan smile.

Brittany had returned while Santana had been comforting Quinn, and was carrying another large sack, with her bow and quiver around her shoulders. She passed Quinn a large canteen, and ruffled her hair slightly in a friendly gesture.

"All ready" the taller girl said.

Santana just nodded, and turned back to Quinn.

"Now listen Quinn. Do you think you can get into your house without anyone noticing you?"

Quinn nodded. Her mother would be busy, her father most likely out.

"You have to pack whatever essential items you need. Don't forget your staff, any books, clothes, food you can carry. Britt and I need to call in a few favours, then we'll meet you outside your house. Don't leave, and don't attract any attention, till you hear my whistle. Got that?"

Quinn nodded once more.

"After, we're going to have to see Sam, and then Rachel. If at any time you get discovered by the guardsmen, or anyone else, or you lose us, you meet us back here, okay? You find your way back here and you _wait_. Remember what I taught you, how to defend. Aim for the vitals, don't overextend. If in doubt, flee."

"Yes" Quinn replied, her voice betraying her nervousness.

Santana took one more look at Quinn, then nodding to Brittany, the three girls and cat set off through the darkness, towards town.


	4. Escape

**A/N - Unbetaed. All mistakes are my own, and for which I apologise.**

Escape

They walked in silence. Quinn, lost in the depths of her own mind, wondered helplessly if this was the right path. Could she leave her parents, her way of life? Would they be able to survive on their own? Quinn in her 16 years had never been outside of Lima, and she certainly hadn't planned to voyage off accompanied by 2 girls (or 3, if Rachel agreed to come along) and a giant cat. Goddess bless her, because she needed it.

She had no answers, as they approached the edge of town. Santana just looked at her, and after a few moments, gave her a sombre nod. Quinn took a deep breath, nodded back, and began lightly jogging the route to her house. As soon as Santana and Brittany disappeared, Quinn's insecurities rose to a crescendo. She wanted to yell out to them and ask them to stay. She wanted to run back to their clearing in the woods and lose herself in memories of happier days. She wanted to run home and find someone, anyone that cared about her. She didn't know what she wanted.

"_The Plan"_ a voice similar to Santana's echoed in her head. A plan was all she had, and thank the goddess, any plan was better then marrying David Karofsky. So she kept jogging, a battleground of thoughts for a mind.

* * *

She found herself at her house before she even realised. She drank in the sight of a manor she until now, had taken for granted. It was all she had known, all she had ever lived. Is this how Santana and Brittany had felt, when they looked upon the places they grew up, realizing that they may never see it again? Would the ghost of their presence still live, long after they had gone? She felt a bereavement, a heaviness of her soul. It was simply brick and stone, wood and clay, but it was both less and more. It was where she had felt safe, and where she knew she would never be safe ever again.

Ignoring the lead in the pit of her stomach, she approached. It seemed quiet, domestic servants and her mother probably busy or away, and that bode well. She opened the door as quietly as possible, and crept through the house with the skittishness of a mouse. Hearing no-one and sensing nothing, she relaxed a little, and opened her room. It looked so different from before. Her small bed, her wooden crate full of clothes, her small wash basin. Her life for 16 years, a footprint of her.

She felt tears in her eyes. Shaking her head to ward them off, she quickly opened her crate and began stuffing everything into the large rucksack. Clothes, sandals. Small prayer beads. A short length of knotted fabric, previously used for festival dances, now simply a fastening that secured her staff on her back. A cloak and hood that had been her sisters.

Her life tied up in her rucksack, her staff securely fastened, she ignored the clutching of her heart, as she looked at her room for one last time, until she couldn't any more.

Her next stop would be the kitchens. She had hoped that the servants had left something out, and she was thankful when a freshly baked loaf of bread stood there, like a prize on the table. Fruits, berries and a wrapped block of goat's cheese were also secured, and another large canteen full of a sweet-smelling liquid. It was all she could carry, her rucksack almost overflowing now and quite heavy, and she left before anyone could spot her. Her last destination was her father's study.

Her heart beat ferociously as she approached the iron-wrought door. She had never entered this room without the presence of her ominous father, and 16 years of rules and discipline clawed at her mind as she went inside. It was dark, musty, and disturbing. A desk with writing quill in the corner, a large bearskin rug on the floor, and a small bookcase with papers and tomes. Swallowing her nervousness, she crept over to the desk, and prayed to the goddess as she pulled on the handle of the single drawer. It opened! The Goddess smiled upon her.

Inside, lay her prize. A small cloth bag that jingled and felt full. Gold! She had only seen her father ever use this bag once before, years ago, but she had never forgotten it. She took the bag and small piece of string that was attached, and tied it securely around her waste.

Her preparations done, she was exiting the dim room, when a gleam in the corner of the room caught her eye. Listening furiously for any noise outside the room, she heard none, before quietly walking over to what had caught her eye.

A sword!

Tentatively reaching out, as if the sword would strike her down with a sudden movement, she touched the small gem in the pommel, before wrapping her hand around it completely, in awe at such a beautiful item. She went to lift it...

**CLANG!**

Goddess! Why had no-one told her swords were _heavy!_ Quickly dragging it off the floor with both hands, she grasped it firmly, the smooth leather of the scabbard giving way to the wrought steel and polished jewel of the hilt and pommel. She hesitated for a moment, then carefully lifting the sword, she cradled it under her arms, and fled the room.

* * *

Quinn hid in the shadow of her front door, watching and waiting carefully for Santana's signal. The evening had given way to night, the streets dimly lit by lantern's, swinging freely on their posts. Golden plumages of light reflected on the dusty roads, and Quinn traced their arches with her eyes, watching and waiting.

Quinn sat their, in the shadows, back leaning against the sandstone for what could have been one minute or 1 hour, she did not know. It wasn't until she was almost in slumber before the whistle came -

Quinn started in fright, her heart feeling like it burst through her chest. In the corner of the road she could barely make out three sets of eyes, and the shadow of faces. The whistle sounded once more, impatiently, and Quinn gathered herself.

She ran over to the group. In the darkness, she could barely see the grim countenance of Santana coupled with the relax, whimsical face of Brittany stare at her. She swallowed nervously -

"I'm ready."

A hand grasped hers, and she was led off, sticking to the darkness of the streets.

* * *

For a fair while, the three girls and feline crept through the shadows of Lima, skittering across circles of light when necessary, stopping and waiting at any unexpected sounds. Some young men dashed past at one point, decked out in guardsman leathers, and Santana's hand gripped her tightly, wordlessly warning her. Quinn dared not breathe until they passed in the night, their footsteps echoing off in the distance.

Eventually they stopped at a small ramshackle hut, barely larger then Quinn's room. Quinn and Brittany stayed in the shadows as Santana cautiously approached the door, knocked 3 times, then ducked into the darkness. Moments later, the door creaked open, a young girl of no more then eight or nine years old standing in the archway, her shadow reflected by the yellow light of the latern in her hand.

"H-Hello?"

"Stacey." Santana hissed, before stepping up to make her presence known. The young girl squealed, then threw herself into a hug at the older girl's waist. Santana, not stopping for anything, picked her up and continued onward, and Quinn found herself dragged through the doorway.

The door slamming shut behind her, and the three girls stood inside the minute hut. It was really tiny. Three small cots lined the walls, and a small table with two chairs leant against one of them. In a small cleared space in the middle sat another boy similar age to the young girl. Lanterns and candles flicked momentarily from the draught, causing shadows to dance upon the walls. In the light, Quinn could properly see Santana, dressed in Guardsman leathers herself, a round shield at her back, and Brittany, in green tunic and pants, travelling cloak and bow and quiver over her shoulder. Both carried enormous rucksacks.

The young girl continued to clutch to Santana in glee, smile adorning her face as she started babbling with excited energy.

"San! San. I missed you! Sam never tells us - "

"Shush little birdie" Santana interrupted softly, patting the young girl's blond hair "we can't stay long, I just wanted to say goodbye to you before we left."

Stacey's face immediately became distraught, and the young boy also stood quickly, looking at Santana in fear."

"Wait San you can-"

"No no no! Why do-"

"Hey!" Santana semi-yelled, silencing the two children. "Hey, I don't want to go, but my friends and I have to go far away. But we couldn't leave before we say goodbye to our favourite people, now could we?

Santana crouched down and flung her arms open, and the boy and girl both enveloped her, their faces screwed shut as they hugged Santana fiercely.

Quinn felt uncomfortable, as if intruding upon a family scene she had no business in. She watched as the young children's eyes opened and apparently noticed her for the first time, both of them staring as they let Santana go.

Santana, bemused, turned around and stared as well. Quinn blushed, unused to such intense attention, until she noticed Santana wasn't looking at her, but at the sword she had been cradling in her arm.

As if remembering the sword had brought reality back to Quinn, she immediately felt the cramp of her muscles from her burden, and lowered it softly to the floor. Santana, reverently, extended out and touched the pommel with her fingertips, and and her fingers started an intricate dance, weaving around the pommel and hilt of the sword, flittering upon it's length, her eyes shining in wonder the entire time.

"I found it at my home." Quinn croaked, unused to the attention of the hut and the expression upon Santana's face. It was if Santana had seen for the first time, and it was a sight to behold on the usually fiery girl's face. "It's for you."

Santana said nothing, continuing to stare in awe as she lifted the sword effortlessly. She extended her arm fully, then drew back it in a swift movement, the sword line now level with her eye. Santana looked whole, as if a forgotten limb had been rediscovered. Eyes dancing, sword quivering at eye level, she looked like nothing Quinn had ever seen.

The door swung open, breaking the moment. Everyone moved. Santana lowered the sword to a fighting stance, Quinn spun and tensed up, Brittany crouched down. The two young children, however, seemingly oblivious to the reaction of the three, simply ran forward past them, and threw another enveloping hug at the figure in the doorway.

Sam.

Sam was staring hard at the three girls, all the while crouching down and hugging the two young children, who Quinn surmised must be his siblings.

"What are you doing here?" Sam spoke baldly, his tone low and flat.

Quinn bit her bottom lip in worry, uneasy about the situation. Santana, though, seemed to be expecting such a welcome.

"I wanted to see Stace and Stevie."

Sam stood, his eyes flashing, as he clutched the hands of his brother and sister, who looked uncertainly between Santana and Sam.

"Dammit, Santana, do you know what the hell is going on out there? The whole goddess-damned _town_ is looking for Quinn, ever since she didn't show up to prayers this morning."

Quinn felt sick.

"Then you think the brightest idea is to bring her _here?_" Sam continued, fuming. "Do you know what would happen to me, the _kids_, if they found her here? You're insane. What are you going to do anyway. You can't stay here."

Santana looked a little apologetic, but spoke up with her trademark brash tone - "I know that Sam, we're not going to stay here for long. I felt like I owed it to you and them not to just disappear without a warning."

"Disappear? What do you mean?"

"What do you think, Sam! We can't just stay in Lima any more."

"We?"

"We."

Sam's anger looked spent now, giving way to confusion. "I just don't understand Santana, this morning I find you girls apparently at ease in the woods, I go back to find the town looking for Quinn, you're carrying a _proper sword_, and you're leaving. Just like that?"

"Look, Sam, I'm sorry, but we have to go. I wish I could explain more, _truly_, but I can't right now. It's for our safety...yours too."

"My safety? What on earth does that mean Santana?"

"We're leaving Sam, with Quinn. When it's found out were not here, they're going to ask people. It's no big secret you and I are friends."

Sam sighed, rubbing his forehead in anxiety. "I guess. I just wish I knew. You've always kept your secrets close Santana." He laughed humourlessly. "This will be just one more to add."

Quinn had never seen Santana quite so frazzled, and Brittany, who had been still as a statue the entire conversation, walked over and gave Sam a giant hug,

"Thank you , Sammy" Brittany whispered softly. Sam returned the hug, resigned.

Santana then hugged Sam next, while Brittany crouched and hugged the two children, all of them murmuring their goodbyes to each other. Quinn stood awkwardly, feeling terribly out of place.

* * *

The three girls and Lord Tubbington (who had apparently been guarding outside, Quinn surmised) had left Sam's, and were again painstakingly making their way through the shadows of Lima, heading further south. Quinn felt uneasy, remembering her previous trip to the southern area of Lima.

The streets were busier in south Lima at night, it seems, making their passage much more treacherous. Drunks, wild groups of men, and some small groups of guardsman all passed them by, not noticing the small group in the corners of streets, or leaning against shanties and huts. Quinn felt her heart would beat out of her chest in fear and anticipation.

After skulking in the shadows for what seemed to be hours, they stopped at another hut, but unlike Sam's tiny place, this one was a bit bigger, and far less inviting. Vines crept up the sides of the dwelling, while only a very faint light emanated from within.

Santana whistled sharply, then waited.

Nothing happened.

Santana whistled sharply once more.

Still nothing.

Santana inhaled to whistle a third time, when the door finally open, and Rachel Berry, covered in a travelling cloak and shawl unlike anything Quinn had ever seen.

"Sorry, sorry. I was just doing some last minute things and I got caught up."

"Bloody Berry" Santana grumbled to herself, before whispering loudly back - "Skip the story Rachel, let's get a move on."

When the young sorceress came close, Quinn could see that she was also wearing a wide, pointy hat, some strangely textured robe, and had a small stick tucked into a waistband. Quinn thought it looked ridiculous.

Santana evidently agreed. "_Goddess_ Berry, what are you _wearing_. How are we meant to travel incognito when you're wearing a hat that's taller then you are, with an outfit so bright the sun gets jealous?"

"This is a proper attire for a magic user, thank you Santana." Rachel shot back. "Just because I don't desire to show off half my body by wearing men's armour doesn-"

Quinn's nervousness and impatience overtook her "Shut up, both of you."

Rachel look offended, and opened her mouth to say something when Santana forcibly put her hand over the sorceress's mouth, causing her to mumble.

"Quinn's right." Santana hissed. "Let's go. South road Rachel, you know the way."

Rachel, smiled, and nodded. "Follow me ladies. Oh this so exciting, the four of us-

"Five" Brittany interjected, nodding at Lord Tubbingon.

"Sorry, five of us" Rachel chirped, "all going on a big adventure together. This will be a great experience that I'll one day be able to tell my apprentice's of, the first day of a new chapter in Rachel Berry's life."

Quinn was apoplectic. She was having to leave home, running away from being married to a brute, deathly afraid of what would happen, and Rachel was treating it as _fun_? The expression of her face must have been evident through the shadows though, as Rachel's smile wobbled when she looked at Quinn. Santana, perhaps realizing that murder was moments away, kicked things along.

"Berry, go. Before I let Quinn loose."

Rachel, finally taking the hint, led them off further south.

* * *

They were near the edge of town. The four girls and cat were watching the south guard tower from about 30 metres away, hidden a decrepit cart alongside the main street. It seemed so different from her past visit down here. Then, they had been drunken, loud and had been circling a solitary Rachel. Now, there were about 6 of them, agitated, standing outside and talking quietly, with constant gazes sweeping up and down the road. The had erected crude barriers, which were no real impediment, but which were covered in lanterns, which would make anyone leaving or arriving from town visible.

Quinn watched absent mindedly, as the guards milled about, while beside her, Rachel and Santana were engaged in a discussion about how to get past without being noticed. Brittany just lightly petted Lord Tubbington.

Rachel and Santana were getting louder, discussion growing more heated. Quinn sighed, wondering at the wisdom of leaving Lima with Rachel and Santana in the same group.

"If we did that though, Berry, it wouldn't matter if we had the Goddess herself, they're going to send out a party to hunt us down. Magic use is frowned upon by these people. You _know_ this!" Santana said, pointing at Rachel.

"Well you know what Guardsman are like. They would probably put it down to having too much ale, joke about it and clap each other on their backs like the trolls they are" Rachel shot back.

"_Look_ at them Berry. They aren't exactly having a drunken soiree tonight, and nothing I've ever drunk caused mass delusions. Face it, you can't just warble a note, do some hocus pocus and expect them not to care about it."

"Fine, Santana, _fine!_" Rachel spat, crossing her arms in temper. "What will you do then, go out and take you tunic off, give them a show while we run through? At least I'm coming up with something."

"You know what Berry, you have to be - "

Quinn sighed, tuning the two girls out as they continued to bicker amongst themselves. At this rate they'd be here to daybreak, and then they'd have no chance.

Brittany tapped her shoulder. "Quinn, remember those pretty lights you can make?"

Quinn nodded, unsure of why the huntress was asking.

"Can you attach it to something?"

Quinn had never tried. "I'm not sure Brittany, what were you thinking?"

"Can you make one of the really bright lights stay on one of my arrows?"

So while Rachel and Santana continued to argue, Quinn and Brittany shifted around a corner, and Quinn began her prayers. Soon, she had in the palm of her hand a white, bright light. While Brittany held out an arrow, Quinn moved her hand over the tip, murmuring a prayer to the Goddess, and the light seemed to stay, clinging to the arrowhead. Faster then she could even see, Brittany swung her massive bow and fired the arrow across the street, further away from their position, causing a very noticeable light near an intersection.

"How long will the light last, Quinn?"

"Until I tell it to stop, I guess." Quinn was unsure, she usually had the light in the palm of her hand when she turned it off, but hoping and praying that it worked the same way while 100 yards from her.

Brittany nodded, satisfied, then began slinking up to where Rachel and Santana were crouched, still gesturing and arguing in hissed tones at each other. Quinn errantly wondered if they could keep that up forever, before she too followed Brittany back.

From her position, Quinn could clearly see the light they had shot very visible, and it would be visible to the guard as well. It looked like they hadn't even noticed, however, and Quinn was hoping there was more to Brittany's idea then that. She was answered a moment later when Brittany stood swiftly, launching an arrow at the guardsman. Quinn covered her mouth in horror.

However, the arrow didn't hit any of the men, but rather the lantern hanging directly above them, shrouding them in darkness. A moment later, Brittany whispered in her ear

"Quinn, now!"

Without thinking, Quinn mentally told the light to stop, and it did. Apparently the light going _out_ was Brittany's plan, and moments later five guardsman ran past down the road. Quinn had to give credit, it was pretty smart.

Rachel and Santana, who had been shocked into silence by Brittany's shot, scrambled a moment later and the small group ran towards the barriers at the exit.

"Cover your faces" Santana hissed, as they neared the post. Quinn pulled up the cowl of her robe over her head, and looked down, as seconds later they reached the illuminated barriers, and the last remaining guardsman.

"Halt!" the guardsman said, as the group of girls came into the lit area of the road. Quinn automatically complied, skidding to a stop, but Santana just kept moving, barrelling into the guardsman and tackling him to the ground. Brittany pulled urgently on Quinn's robe as she watched, transfixed, as Santana wrestled the man on the ground. Moments later Rachel started pulling Quinn's hand as well, and she tore her gaze away, and helped Brittany and Rachel push one of the barriers out of the way.

Quinn had her back to the fight, pushing with all her might to move the crudely stacked crates out of the way, when the sudden clanging of steel caught her attention, and she whirled to see Santana and the man with swords drawn, with man pressed against the crates.

"Lopez. Who gave a little girl such a pretty sword. Pity you wouldn't know how to use it."

"You're talking out of your ass again Nelson, last I recall, you swung a sword once and almost lost your foot."

While she spoke, Santana lunged, steel flashing and Nelson parried, furiously. He began to edge, leftward, still holding the sword out.

"Careful Lopez, those things are sharp."

"Cram it Nelson. My pet lizard knows more swordplay then you do."

Santana feinted to her left, attempting to get the man to circle left. It worked. Nelson continued circling, causing him to face away from the girls, and moments later Lord Tubbington came soaring out of the darkness and landed on Nelson's back, causing him to stumble to the ground. Before Quinn could blink, Santana had grabbed and twisted Nelson's sword hand, causing him to release his weapon, and struck swiftly with the pommel of her own sword, knocking him out. She patted the giant cat quickly.

"That's the stuff, Tubbs." She said, before running over to help move the last of the crates.

Their path cleared, the four girls and giant cat ran onward, south out of Lima, leaving a knocked out guardsman and the town in their wake. They had escaped.


End file.
